Game



Feb. 16,- 1943. v J. 1.. McKEOWN" 2,311,453

GAME- Filed June 22 1940 (john Patented Feb. 16, 1943 UNETED STATESPATENT OFFICE GAME John L. McKeown, Winnetka, Ill.

Application June 22, 1940, Serial No. 341,845

4 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in games and has for its primaryobject the provision of an improved game operating by chance and whichis of simple construction and amusing in use.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists of the combinations and arrangement of partshereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawing forming a part of this specification and in which- Figure 1 is atop plan view of a spinning top embodying the invention;

Figure 2, a side view thereof;

Figure 3, a bottom plan view thereof;

Figure 4, an enlarged vertical section of the p;

Figure 5, a section taken substantially on line -5 of Figure 4, and

Figure 6, a projectile employed in the game.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing comprises aspinning top body It! having a chamber l I formed therein and a cover I2for said chamber and having a central spinning stem or handle I3projecting upwardly therefrom, said cover being arranged to fit tightlyinto the top of the chamber II and being held in position by frictionalcontact or otherwise as desired.

A magnet M is arranged as indicated to extend centrally across thechamber H, fitting at its top into a groove l5 in the lower portion ofthe cover l2 and at-its sides into grooves IS in the side walls of thetop. The upper body of the top is made hexagonal in shape, the six facesI! thereof being provided with the markings of the six faces of a diceas shown. The cover I2 is also provided with six inclined faces l8 asindicated which are correspondingly marked to facilitate the readings ofthe top sides from various positions.

At its bottom, the top [0 is provided with a central hexagonal bore [9leading from the bottom of the chamber l I through the spinning point ofthe top, and a correspondingly shaped projectile is arranged asindicated within said bore with its rounded point 2| projecting from thebottom thereof to constitute the spinning point of the top as indicated.The top of the projectile 20 is formed of a head 22 of soft iron havinga stem 23 frictionally held in a corresponding bore in the top of theprojectile, said head 22 being thus shaped and arranged to contact andbe held releasably in place by the attraction of the magnet M, as willbe readily understood. As shown, six faces of the projectile 20 are alsoprovided with six dice markings to correspond with those on the faces ofthe top body.

When used, the top is spun upon a flat surface by means of the spinningstem [3. When the spinning ceases and the top body falls on its side onthe spinning surface, the same is caused to whirl upon said surface,thereby subjecting the projectile 26) to the action of centrifugalforce. The magnet I l is such to be capable of holding the projectile inthe bore l9 under normal conditions in a pocket or the like, but isinsufficient to withstand the effect of this centrifugal force, so thatwhen the top body thus whirls upon one of its flat sides, thecentrifugal force will serve to project the projectile from the top sothat one of the faces of the projectile will thus be caused to come torest at the top thereof to be combined with the uppermost face of thetop when it comes to rest, thus, in substance and effect, providing twodice for the playing of various games of chance employing two dice aswill be readily understood. In this way a game is provided which isentirely dependent upon chance and which is convenient and amusing inuse. The specific form and arrangement of parts constitute a simple andeffective construction for the purpose.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying the invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise detailsdisclosed, but desire to avail myself of such variations andmodifications as fail within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination a flat-sided top having its sides distinctively markedand provided with an internal chamber; a magnet arranged in saidchamber; and a flat-sided projectile releasably held in said top, therebeing a fiat-sided bore leading from the bottom of said chamber throughthe spinning point of the top body, and said projectile fitting intosaid bore and releasably held therein by said magnet, the sides of saidprojectile having markings identical with those on the sides of said topbody.

2. In combination, a top; and a projectile releasably held thereon bymagnetic force and arranged to be projected therefrom by centrifugalforce when the top ceases spinning and falls to the spinning surface.

3. The combination specified in claim 2, in which the projectileconstitutes the spinning point of the top.

4. In combination, a top having various faces distinctively marked; anda projectile releasably held thereon by magnetic force while said top isin its upright position and spinning, but adapted and arranged to beprojected therefrom by centrifugal force when the top ceases spinningand falls to the spinning surface, said projectile ,having facesdistinctively marked to cooperate with the markings on the top faces.

JOHN L. MCKEOWN.

